Gaming · Series B Stage Financial Model

Gaming Series B Financial Model Template

A complete Series B financial model for Gaming startups. Revenue model, unit economics, hiring plan, cash flow projections, and funding scenarios — structured for investor review.

All Templates

Projection Horizon

5 years with AOP detail for current year (monthly)

Model Tabs

8 core tabs

Format

Excel + Google Sheets

What Series B Investors Focus On

Path to profitability, market leadership, and capital efficiency. Series B investors are modeling the exit multiple — they want to see EBITDA timing and revenue quality.

Gaming Modeling Insight

Gaming models live and die by the LTV:CPI ratio. A ratio below 1.5x is unprofitable. Build a cohort waterfall showing how D1/D7/D30 retention converts to LTV by acquisition channel. Include a separate tab for each major live title.

Model Tabs Included

1Board-Level P&L Summary
2Revenue Model by Segment
3Sales Capacity Model
4Headcount by Function
5Departmental Budget vs. Actual
6Balance Sheet Forecast
7Cash Flow Statement
8Capital Allocation Plan

Gaming Revenue Model

User acquisition model with D1/D7/D30 retention cohorts driving LTV calculation. Revenue driven by ARPDAU (average revenue per daily active user) from in-app purchases and advertising.

Revenue Drivers

  • Daily Active Users (DAU) x ARPDAU
  • In-app purchase revenue by user tier
  • Advertising revenue (rewarded ads, interstitials)
  • Live operations event revenue spikes

COGS Structure

  • Server hosting and CDN delivery costs
  • Platform revenue share (30% App Store cut)
  • Live operations content creation labor
  • Anti-cheat and moderation infrastructure

Unit Economics to Model

  • Cost Per Install (CPI) by channel and creative
  • LTV at D7, D30, D90, D365 by user segment
  • LTV:CPI ratio by acquisition channel
  • Contribution margin after UA spend and hosting
  • Payback period on user acquisition cost

Key Model Assumptions

Series B models require a formal AOP (Annual Operating Plan) for the current year with monthly actuals-vs-plan tracking. Investors will ask for monthly actuals in the data room and will model variance trends.

  • DAU growth rate from organic vs. paid UA
  • D30 retention rate as primary LTV driver
  • ARPDAU trend as game matures
  • UA budget efficiency and CPI trend

Funding Scenarios

Include a capital allocation memo that justifies the Series B use of proceeds. Show how each dollar maps to specific growth levers and the expected return on that investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a Series B Gaming financial model include?

A Series B Gaming financial model should cover 5 years with AOP detail for current year (monthly) of projections with these tabs: Board-Level P&L Summary, Revenue Model by Segment, Sales Capacity Model, Headcount by Function, Departmental Budget vs. Actual, Balance Sheet Forecast, Cash Flow Statement, Capital Allocation Plan. Path to profitability, market leadership, and capital efficiency. Series B investors are modeling the exit multiple — they want to see EBITDA timing and revenue quality.

What is the revenue model for a Gaming startup?

User acquisition model with D1/D7/D30 retention cohorts driving LTV calculation. Revenue driven by ARPDAU (average revenue per daily active user) from in-app purchases and advertising. The key revenue drivers are: Daily Active Users (DAU) x ARPDAU; In-app purchase revenue by user tier; Advertising revenue (rewarded ads, interstitials); Live operations event revenue spikes.

What unit economics should a Gaming Series B company model?

Gaming unit economics at the Series B stage should include: Cost Per Install (CPI) by channel and creative; LTV at D7, D30, D90, D365 by user segment; LTV:CPI ratio by acquisition channel; Contribution margin after UA spend and hosting; Payback period on user acquisition cost. Gaming models live and die by the LTV:CPI ratio. A ratio below 1.5x is unprofitable. Build a cohort waterfall showing how D1/D7/D30 retention converts to LTV by acquisition channel. Include a separate tab for each major live title.

How do I build a bottom-up financial model?

Series B models require a formal AOP (Annual Operating Plan) for the current year with monthly actuals-vs-plan tracking. Investors will ask for monthly actuals in the data room and will model variance trends. Start with the smallest unit of your business (one customer, one transaction, one seat) and build up from there. Every assumption should have a source or benchmark you can defend in an investor meeting.

What funding scenarios should I model at the Series B stage?

Include a capital allocation memo that justifies the Series B use of proceeds. Show how each dollar maps to specific growth levers and the expected return on that investment.

Download This Financial Model

Get the Gaming Series B financial model as a pre-built Excel and Google Sheets template. Assumptions dashboard, revenue model, unit economics, and cash flow — ready to customize.

Includes Excel file, Google Sheets version, and model documentation guide

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